Maine Librarians Forced to Implement Patchwork Delivery System

Where are those delivery vans?

Link to July 17 Portland Press Herald article, "Book swapping slows to crawl at libraries". (Thanks to David Weinhold for the heads-up.)

Excerpt: Librarians are shuttling books around Maine in the trunks of their cars this week, after the loss of a delivery service that supports the statewide interlibrary loan program.

The courier hired to move books between libraries, NCS Logistics of Scarborough, backed out of its contract Monday, dealing a blow to a program that gives patrons at the state's smallest depositories access to titles from some of its largest.

The move sent staffers at about 140 public and private libraries scrambling to find ways to maintain the flow of books. Some have resorted to lugging books from one library to another on their own.

I'll be flying into Portland on Friday, August 14, then driving to Fredericton, New Brunswick, via I-95. Family vacation. Unfortunately, we won't have time to make anything but the standard pit stops.

Lorain Morning Journal Editorial: "Everybody Wins with Healthy Libraries".

Link to July 26 Lorain (OH) Morning Journal editorial, "Libraries need to become a priority for Ohio lawmakers".

Excerpt: As of 2008, public libraries got 2.22 percent of the state's total general tax revenue. The new funding formula was pushed by public libraries, who wanted to benefit as state funding grew. Unfortunately, the opposite happened as the economy soured. The funding formula for libraries was reduced to 1.97 percent in the new state budget.

For decades, Ohio generously supported its public libraries, and our communities enjoyed libraries that were the envy of the nation.

Norwalk (OH) Public Library: Director Takes One for the Team

Link to August 1 Lorain (Ohio) Morning Journal article, "Norwalk library director retires to save staff jobs".

Excerpt: Times are so tough economically for the Norwalk Public Library, its director has decided to retire to save staff members from getting laid off. On Thursday, four library employees were laid off and another five employees will be laid off by Sept. 1 in order to save money, Director Martin Haffey said.

Haffey's decision to retire Sept. 1 saves another five employees from being laid off.

"It's going to be sad to leave," said Haffey, who has led the library for more than 14 years.

Haffey made the announcement Thursday night at a special meeting of the library board where pending cuts to the budget were discussed.